An interview with the Parkinson Association of Alabama July 11, 2023 by George Ackerman, Ph.D, J.D.
Biography
The Parkinson Association of Alabama provides valuable content to help you navigate you or your loved one’s Parkinson’s diagnosis in the State of Alabama. Our goal at the PAA is to be the extended educational arm you need for resources that complement your personal medical journey with your doctors. The information found on this site is never a replacement for the guidance and counsel that can be received from a medical, financial, or legal professional. Our goal is to simply equip you with an easy-to-navigate way to best understand Parkinson’s so that you and your loved ones can best advocate for your care and live your best quality life with Parkinson’s. At the PAA, our goal is to be your GO TO Resource for everything related to Parkinson’s across the state of Alabama.
Please tell me a little about the background of the PAA.
This program strikes the balance between offering Alabamians living with Parkinson’s the opportunity to gain awareness of key programs and resources digitally through the Parkinson’s Disease Online Resource Center at www.parkinsonalabama.info and plugging into FREE, one on one, personally tailored care navigation sessions – both ensuring that Parkinson’s patients and their families have the resources they need to plug into local programming initiatives that will positively impact their journey with Parkinson’s.
Can you tell me more about the Parkinson Association of Alabama?
The Parkinson Association of Alabama is celebrating its 45th Anniversary as a 501-c-3 non-profit organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for patients, caregivers and families affected by Parkinson’s throughout the state of Alabama. It does this through a three-pronged approach – Care, Community and Cure.
What type of goals do individuals with Parkinson’s have when working with the Parkinson Association of Alabama?
More than 16,000 Alabamians living with Parkinson’s and their Care Partners connect with the Parkinson Association of Alabama for the latest education and awareness to be able to successfully navigate the disease so that they are better informed to discern and make the best decisions when it comes to treatment and long-term care planning. They also connect and support the PAA for its mission of community and raising funds for research and a CURE for Parkinson’s.
What type of training and how long are the Parkinson Association of Alabama programs?
We address a wide variety of topics and common questions related to Parkinson’s while providing solutions, tips, and resources to live well with Parkinson’s on a variety of interests, including:
Hospital and Home Safety
Advanced and Long-Term Care Planning
Working with PD
Discerning Where to Age in Place
Nutrition
Tips for Making Daily Activities Easier
Products and Solutions for Better Symptom Management
What effect can the Parkinson Association of Alabama have on an individual with Parkinson’s?
By connecting with those newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s – we can provide hope and encouragement as well as important wellness information to ensure a good start to understanding and navigating the disease.
What would you like to see as a future goal for your programs?
While the state of Alabama has more than 20 support and movement groups, most are centered around urban metro communities. There are still many communities underserved with the needed Parkinson’s therapists, movement, and support groups throughout Alabama. We have worked to identify communities and our goal is to set up PD Hubs of therapy, movement, and support groups available in person within 25-35 miles of each community, expanding our rural reach. We hope to close that gap so that every Alabamian will have a Parkinson’s Hub within 20 miles of their home.
What events do you participate in for PD awareness?
The organization hosts two major fundraisers each year in the spring and fall that goes to support these programs, but also allows our association to contribute funding to Parkinson’s Research Programs for a Cure, supports Pre-Doctoral Scholarships to help retain and attract qualified Movement Disorder Specialists to Alabama, and provide movement-based scholarships to those under financial hardship so that everyone can participate in a Movement Based Program.
How does the Parkinson Association of Alabama also assist the caregivers?
The Parkinson Association of Alabama believes it is important to support caregivers / care partners with appropriate education and tips for advocating for their loved ones. We also believe in the importance of respite and self-care awareness for care partners to ensure they can provide the best care possible for their loved ones. We do this by offering dedicated care partner resources online, via social media, through support groups and within personal educational tracks at Symposiums and Seminars throughout the state. Our care navigators also book one on one personal sessions with Care Partners to help them navigate care for their loved ones with PD.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
The website for the Parkinson Association of Alabama is www.parkinsonalabama.com. Our resource center is located at www.parkinsonalabama.info. We also offer Facebook Groups for those Living with PD and Care Partners to help disperse more information. You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter on the home page of our website where you will be sent a monthly email that has updates on the latest research and programs available to Parkinson’s patients and their families in Alabama.
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Parkinson’s community, what would it be?
Connect to your communities. Support and Movement Groups increase camaraderie and encouragement as well as provide much needed awareness and education.